MALDON

The historic town of Maldon lies at the point where the Blackwater River opens out into a wide estuary. The estuary at this point is thronged with pleasure craft, which can be observed from a promenade accessible from the quay. Among the town's historic points of interest are the Church of All Saints with its triangular tower and the 15th-cenury Moot Hall. The town has been an important centre for salt over the centuries, due to the proximity of the salt marshes, and Maldon Sea Salt remains a sought-after product on the supermarket shelves to this day. The town’s geographical position also led to it becoming a major maritime hub for trade both within England and across to Europe.

In Viking times, the salt was a contributing factor in the town’s attractiveness as a target for attacks, prompting King Edward the Elder to camp there in the 900s in an effort to hold back the Vikings. An old English poem called The Battle of Maldon tells the story of a raid in 991 by the “Northmen”, who were camped on an island in the estuary. Maldon has its own version of the Bayeux Tapestry in the form of an embroidery depicting scenes from the Battle of Maldon. The tapestry, which resides in the Maeldune Heritage Centre and was designed by Humphrey Spender, was created to mark the 1000th anniversary of the battle.

For a list of events in Maldon see here.

Map of the area.

Boats in the distance at Maldon, Essex - geograph.org.uk - 833314. Photo by Gill Edwards, via Wikimedia Commons